CeliacChicks

Gluten-Free Portland, Oregon: New Cascadia Traditional Bakery

Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and very tasty chocolate cupcake

New Cascadia Traditional
~the gluten-free artisans~
NW Glisan St. between NW 21st and NW 22nd Ave.
(next to Trader Joe’s and in front of Sammy’s Flowers)
Portland, Oregon

New Hours (effective July 1st, 2008)
Tuesday - Friday 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.
Saturday 11:00a.m. to 5:30p.m.
Phone 503.887.4392

Teresa Atkins & Chris Gumke, owners of New Cascadia Traditional

When I found out that Portlandia recently gave birth to a dedicated gluten-free bakery, which just happens to be right down the street from where my good friend lives, I put it at the top of my list of things to check out as soon as I stepped off the tarmac.

Well, I wasn't disappointed! (C'mon New York City- Where is your dedicated gluten-free bakery?!)

It turns out that three years ago Chris Gumke, an artisan bread lover, got very sick until he realized he was severely gluten-intolerant. Living without bread was not an option for him, so he started baking his own gluten-free breads at home. Soon he realized that his own gluten-free recipes were much better than most gluten-free items commercially available. Thus  the idea to open a dedicated gluten-free bakery, New Cascadia Traditional, with partner Teresa Atkins was born.

Last year they started selling their gluten-free baked goods at select farmers markets and now they have their own retail outlet in NW Portland. The couple figures that if 1 out of 100 people can't eat gluten due to celiac disease, and that doesn't account for all of the other people that have chosen a gluten-free diet without a celiac disease diagnosis, then the market for gluten-free foods is wide open for a gluten-free retail bakery.

These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies not only look delicious, but they taste amazing! AND they just happen to be vegan too!

Clockwise: Cinnamon roll, apple tart, and bread pudding

If you have additional food allergies there is a small amount of corn in the powdered sugar items along with corn starch based baking powder in some items. There are no bean or soy flours used and the only soy to be found is soy lecithin used in the chocolate items.

Uh, have you ever seen such a gorgeous looking gluten-free baguette? [drool]

It was a typical drab Oregon day, so I apologize for the dim lighting. I still think the gluten-free bread basket looks fetching!

Gluten-free pretzels anyone? YES!!!

These handsome dinner rolls were being shy at the bottom of the gluten-free bread basket.

Gluten-free seeded bread, the favorite at New Cascadia Traditional. Trust me, this made amazing sandwiches!

Chris Gumke takes his bread baking very seriously. He uses traditional bread baking techniques to make the best artisan bread possible. Soon the bakery will be using a new oven, a deck oven, which is most proper for bread baking. Now this type of oven is mimicked by baking stones. Even the bakery name describes the joining of new gluten-free baking techniques with old traditional bread baking practices along with the term Cascadia, which is just another interchangeable name for the Pacific Northwest.

You can also buy New Cascadia Traditional products at various farmer's markets around Portland.

So, if you are ever in Portland, Oregon you must stop by and check out what feels like your very own artisan style gluten-free bakery!

You won't be disappointed!

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Gluten-Free News

NEW YORK
Joans GF Great Bakes products are now being sold at The Health Nuts chain stores. They will be in Great Neck, Bayside, Westbury and the Manhattan store at 1208 2nd Ave. (btw 63 &64 street) Be sure to ask for them at your local health food store so that they will contact Joan and stock them. (If someone can find a link to the other Health Nuts locations, please post it in a comment below.)

Don't forget that the L. Lodico walk for celiac disease is coming up on Sunday, June 1st.

INDIANA
Holiday World and Splashin' Safari amusement parks, located in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana, are now serving gluten-free foods!

EVERYWHERE
Over 7000 of us have voted for gluten-free goodies at Starbucks! The Starbucks idea website now says that this is "Under Review". Yay!

The summer barbecue season is upon us and thank goodness that most barbecued foods are gluten-free. (Minus the buns, of course.)  I just learned something that I thought was worth sharing. Here is a quote from Wikipedia about how using a marinade may reduce carcinogens:

"Some studies have shown that a reaction between creatine in muscle meats and amino acids caused by flame-cooking at high temperatures produces cancer-causing agents known as heterocyclic amines (HCA). New research seems to indicate that marinades may discourage formation of certain HCAs in char-grilled meat.

Immersion in an acid-based marinade for as little as forty minutes resulted in a decrease of 92-99% of heterocyclic amines in recent tests by the American Institute for Cancer Research. More studies are being conducted, but the acidic component in marinades seems to be very effective. Marinating is currently the best known method of discouraging the formation of HCAs."

Anyhow, for what it's worth, enjoy your healthy BBQ!

DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS
We have some more fun gluten-free giveaways coming up. I also wanted to mention that I'm going to start putting in your email subject line what geographic area the latest info is for. I know a lot of you don't live in or near New York, so I don't want you to get frustrated due to information that is not relevant to you. At the same time I know there are people that like to read about what is going on in other areas. So, hopefully, if you see in the subject line of your email a state other than your own, you can just delete the email if you aren't interested. I'm getting more and more information all the time for gluten-free happenings all over the place and I'd like to keep you as a subscriber, but at the same time not annoy you. I hope this helps!

Gluten-Free Starbucks Update

When I asked you to vote for gluten-free food at Starbucks the number of votes was around 500. Now almost 6000 people have told Starbucks they would like something gluten-free to nosh on with their coffee. We've got Starbucks attention, now they have asked us to post a comment specifically telling them what kind of gluten-free food we want. They don't necessarily want brand names, but categories like "muffins, cookies, lunch...", whatever you genuinely would buy if they had a gluten-free version available. So now is our chance to tell them exactly what we want! Go ahead, don't be shy.

BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAIL UPDATES. WE HAVE SOME FUN GLUTEN-FREE GIVEAWAYS COMING UP (LOCAL & NATIONAL)  AND A SECRET CODE FOR THEM WILL BE IN YOUR EMAIL!   

Gluten-Free Starbucks, Rice Chex and More...

Vote for gluten-free treats at Starbucks!! While you are at it, post a comment recommending which gluten-free food you would like to enjoy with your coffee! Maybe dreams do come true!

In case you haven't heard yet, the latest buzz is that new boxes of gluten-free Rice Chex will be appearing on your grocery store shelves soon!

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In New York City...

Don't miss the Italian feast being served at the Pizzabolla meetup this coming Saturday, April 5th.

Food Matters prepared foods are now available at the Natural Gourmet Market located at 325 Third Avenue. (212) 228-9133

Monday, April 7th (6:30-9:30) will be another special hands on evening at Cooking By The Book in Tribeca. Enjoy good wine and company as a chef instructs your intimate group on how to create an impressive gluten-free meal. The cost is $220 per person and benefits the Celiac Disease Center At Columbia University. There are only a few spots left so contact Cynthia Beckman for more details.   

Be sure to sign up for our free email alerts. I have some really fun food giveaways coming up that you won't want to miss!

Queens Redeemed

The new Trader Joe's in Rego Park, Queens.

As our long time readers know, the concept of CeliacChicks came to fruition in the hip borough of Brooklyn.  Since then, in pursuit of a bigger kitchen, I have moved on and settled in Queens. Let's just say that it's been a rough transition for me here in Glendale.  At times the half dead produce at the local grocery store gave me short lived ideas about starting another blog titled "Queens- Borough Of Bad Taste" or "Honk If You're From Queens".  Well, I'm happy to report that this last year things have been changing for the better in Archie Bunker's old hood.

When I first moved here I discovered this tiny health food store near my apartment.  I know there are gluten-free friends nearby since the owner has a well stocked section of gluten-free foods. The store is located on Myrtle Avenue near Fresh Pond Road.  Just be sure to slip into your thick skin before you go there. Last time I went there the lady behind the counter asked me about my broken nose and then argued with me when I told her it has never been broken. I think she's sorta funny, but you have to be in the right mood to fully appreciate her perspective on things.

I finally discovered that there is also a very nice, big, suburban style Stop N Shop on Union Turnpike with a whole aisle of gluten-free specialty foods.

Conveniently located near the (E,R,V,F) Forest Hills train station is S.S. Natural on Austin Street between Ascan and 71st. This store is pretty big with gluten-free flours, pastas, crackers, etc. (A bit of Queens movie trivia for you: This, my friends, is where Spider Man first tried out his new powers! Seriously! Rent the first Spider Man movie and you'll see S.S. Natural in it!)

So, I was surviving, but the summer of 2006 Atlas Park Mall opened and it has within it a beautiful Amish Market which made me very happy. This place is a bit spendy, but if you are into the whole "experience" of shopping then you'll love it. Another reason to love it is for the circular aisle with a wide range of gluten-free products on it. If you go there check out by the registers the imported and ironically named Seitenbacher gluten-free snack bars.

Now I really can't bash Queens anymore, because Trader Joe's (90-30 Metropolitan Ave Rego Park, NY) has opened. Yay! It's not only full of good tasting gluten-free foods, but they are affordable. If you ever go there be sure to pick up their list (seven pages full) of all the gluten-free foods they carry. Check it out (above) how the chicken broth and pancakes are labeled "gluten-free". How cool is that? They also have gluten-free english muffins and a gluten-free frozen tiramisu dessert! I might just decide to stay here in Queens after all!

I know this may have been a tad boring for those of you who don't live around here, but since it took me awhile to find some of these places to shop I figured my fellow gluten-free neighbors might find this information helpful. Does anyone else out there have any gluten-free related Queens info they'd like to share?

*******

Unrelated Chick Tip:  Tired of $25 eyebrow waxing in the city? I just discovered an eyebrow threading salon at 5915 71st Avenue on the corner of Myrtle Avenue where threading is only $5.00! Now that's a bargain!  This is just a short walk from the Fresh Pond station on the M train line.   718.821.2782

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Don't forget:

Mozzarelli's will be having a gluten-free feast this coming Sunday.

Sunday November 18th Dr. Green and friends will be speaking at the 92nd Street Y about "Sorting Through Celiac Disease And Food Allergies".

Thank You!

Raspberry sorbet from Grom

This last weekend was very busy. Saturday I met Shauna, aka Gluten-Free Girl, at Strawberry Fields in Central Park. It was fun to meet her and see what seemed like a cast of characters from her blog in person.

Whether you're a fan of hers or not, we all owe Gluten-Free Girl a big "Thank You" for all of the awareness of celiac disease she has created.  She somehow magically got herself on the Food Network in a short "commercial" about eating gluten-free. Who knows how many millions of people that reached when played over and over again for weeks?  Now with her new book there is a virtual book tour by mostly A-list bloggers that will reach thousands of people!  I have emailed some well known bloggers with big audiences in the past explaining celiac disease, eating gluten-free, and how some of their readers are no doubt undiagnosed. I was hoping that since their blogs are centered around food they would be interested in writing about celiac disease and/or gluten-free foods. Unfortunately, they weren't able to write about it, at least at that time. So, here comes along Shauna with her book and some big bloggers are now finally talking about celiac disease and eating gluten-free. Wow!

If you've been struggling with your attitude about eating gluten-free or any other diet restrictions, Shauna's book may help you out with changing your perception from a negative one to a positive one.

Again, thank you, Shauna! [the Beatles song "Thank You Girl" plays in the background]

After the Strawberry Fields meeting we mozied on over to Grom, which has been praised by the NY Times, many food bloggers, and Shauna after eating at one on her honeymoon in Italy. The management stated in an email that all flavors are gluten-free with the exception of nougat, crema di grom and tiramisu. 

The faces above show the tastiness of Grom gelato. I chatted it up with a mom (far left) in line and one of her daughters can't have any artificial food colorings. This was definitely a special treat. Grom may very well be the best gelato in the world due to their high standards for quality seasonal ingredients.

Vanilla and pistachio gelato.

Sunday we met up with Shauna and The Chef at the Colin Leslie Walk For Celiac Disease Awareness in Rye, NY.  Let me tell you, Rye is one of the cutest towns ever!  Imagine going to high school in what looks like a castle. Must be nice. It was nice to see all of the familiar faces from the gf vendor fair scene, and to meet all of the new people that came up to our table. And a big "thank you" goes out to sixteen year old Colin for putting the walk together. Last year he raised over $60,000. I'm excited to find out how much money was raised this year.

Oh, and Soul Dog was serving food at the walk and I was disappointed (due to my corn allergy) to find out that all of their gluten-free baked goods contain corn in some form , but if their black bean soup was an indicator of how good the rest of their food is, then it's definitely worth a visit if you are ever in Poughkeepsie.

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One last HUGE "Thank You" goes to Heidi Collins for her efforts to have celiac disease discussed every day this week on CNN!!!

Gluten Free Gidget

Bambi lives on Fire Island!

So, I don't know about you, but I have this sense of urgency to try to get my fill of fun in the sun activities before the summer draws to a close. Last Saturday, John and I decided to check out Fire Island, which neither of us had ever been to before. We drove to Robert Moses State Park and then took the 30 minute ferry to the section of the island called Ocean Beach. There are no cars allowed on the island and you can walk the width of the island in about ten minutes. Cute little shops, restaurants and little beach cottages abound along golf cart size streets. Very quaint! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, mostly sunbathing, and plan on going back to explore the different sections of the island. It really made for a quick getaway that actually made you feel like you had a mini beach vacation somewhere!

Packing for the beach inspired me to write about beach food.  I thought we could all share our favorite get-out-of-town foods. Here are some of my favorites when it comes to quick and easy gluten-free beach food.

First and foremost you'll need plenty to drink. Why drink corn-syrup, artificial sweeteners or food coloring when you can make your own iced tea that is not only delicious, but jam-packed with antioxidants? I know this sounds simple, but I just realized I could make this in my sunny apartment window sill. Make your sun tea in an empty plastic liter bottle and then freeze it.*
My favorites are:
Mint
Orange Spice
Green Tea
*sweeten with agave nectar to taste before freezing.

If it's going to be blazing hot, fill the plastic bottle almost full and freeze. This will provide the perfect amount of slowly melting ice cold drink all day and double as an extra ice pack for your food. If it's moderatly hot then only fill it halfway and freeze. Then reserve the rest in the refrigerator in order to add it upon departing.

An easy option for food is to take sliced deli turkey (Thumann's and Boar's Head are gluten-free) in a small tote cooler and eat it with rice crackers. Or, I'll have Moondoggie stop off at Sahadi's in Brooklyn the day before to pick up soom baba ghanouj and hummus to use as dip with crackers and or/baby carrots.

If I'm not rushed I like to make millet tabouli.  I prefer millet tabouli to quinoa tabouli. The taste of tomatoes, mint and parsley all make tabouli so summery, healthy and refreshing. My friend Ivy, who has syrian bloodlines, has a great tabouli recipe. I just substitute the bulgar wheat (or should I say "vulgar" wheat?) with millet.

*****

Smurf Sisters Tabouli

2 c. cooked and chilled millet grain
2 bunches parsley hand chopped (Ivy feels that a food processor chops it too fine.)
1 cup of fresh mint finely hand chopped
1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
2 tomatoes seeded and diced
1 bunch of green onions chopped

Toss the above ingredients.

Dose with the fresh juice of two lemons or add to taste.
Drizzle with 2 to 3 TBSP. of olive oil
Sprinkle 1 tsp. of salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Serve in cored out tomatoes for edible bowls if desired.

*****

For treats I just throw in some Lara Bars (my favorite flavors are lemon and cherry), fresh fruit and some dark chocolates.

What foods do  you like to take on your summer excursions?

If you are heading to a beach in Long Island, NY one of the easiest options is to go to Cornucopia Natural Foods store in Sayville. There is a local beach and also the conveniently located Sayville Ferry that can take you to...guess where? Fire Island!

Cornucopia Natural Foods
39 N. Main Street
Sayville, NY 631.589.9579
Hours:
M-F 9-7
Saturday 9-6
Sunday 11-5

Not only does Cornucopia have quite a large selection of gluten-free groceries, but they also have a sit down deli section with pre-made gluten-free foods. Their salads are always a hit at the gluten-free vendor fairs. They have special selections every day along with the regular daily items of:

3 varieties of seasonal vegetables
Quinoa Salad with cranberries, almonds, etc.
Brown Rice Salad with a Meditteranean flavor
Chicken Waldorf Salad
Garden Tuna Salad
At least one dairy-free/gluten-free chicken dish, such as Artichoke Chicken or Balsamic Chicken
Wild Salmon with spicy ginger marinade

So, it couldn't be easier, just throw your ice pack in your travel cooler, make a stop at Cornucopia and you are ready for some Beach Blanket Bingo!

deli case

gluten-free aisle

gluten-free freezer section

TJNY

What is this? It's my artsy shot of the new Trader Joe's near Union Square.

I thought people were waiting in line for an event at the adjacent building, but no, it was actually the line to get into Trader Joe's! I counted about fifty die hard soon-to-be Trader Joe's customers.

I was a sleepy Celiac Chick so I didn't have the strength to wait to get inside. Maybe that was a good thing. I called the next day and asked when is the best time to beat the crowds. Turns out it's 9 a.m. They do carry all of the gluten-free breads and pasta that you've heard about. As an experienced west coast TJ's customer, I can attest to the fact that they are reasonably priced and quite tasty.

Trader Joe's
142 E. 14th St. (bet. 3rd & 4th Ave.)
New York, NY 10003
(212)529-4612
Hours: 9am-10pm

 

Arizona IV: Get Baked In The Matrix

*WE ARE SORRY TO REPORT THAT AS OF JANUARY 2006 ASPIRE MARKETS HAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED. THEY WILL BE MISSED!*

Aspire Markets
16455 N. Scottsdale Road
Suite 107
Scottsdale, AZ
480.348.9124

Isn't this little puff pastry lovely? They spoiled me at Aspire Market with
their special order service. I always know my request of something gluten-,
dairy- and corn-free will be the  true test of techique, flexibility and creativity
for a baker. I think the pictures demonstrate how eager they are to show off
their skills.

The fruit puffs had some sort of marvelous creamy consistency.
The jam puffs were accompanied by a super yummy custard.

This is the Viennese cake that even passed my gluten eating friend's taste test.
The presentation alone is impressive. These cakes had fine layers of pastry
alternated with vanilla custard. Mmmmmm.

This is just some of the bread available at Aspire Market. These particular
loafs were crafted by the hands of celiac author Lynn Rae Ries. The hallah
was AMAZING and the other loafs available are a mock rye and multi grain.
They all were excellent.

Debbie Shapos, co-owner of Aspire Market, informed me that since my
visit they have even more of a variety in their baked goods department. She
bragged about the new  gluten-free doughnuts, Heavenly Bars, Montina
bread from Outside The Breadbox, and a new fresh baked garlic focaccia
bread!! Remember, special orders are welcome and they will ship to almost
anywhere.

As you can see, Aspire Market's bakery department alone will so severely blow
your mind that you may want to steer clear of any rabbit holes!

Arizona: The Matrix

*ASPIRE MARKETS HAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED. IT WAS A GREAT CONCEPT AND WE WISH THEM THE BEST.*

Aspire Market
16455 N. Scottsdale Road
Suite 107
Scottsdale, AZ
480.348.9124

Newly opened Aspire Market is the creation of husband and wife team Keith Kosco and Debbie Shapos. They have brought together several new dimensions of dietary shopping in order to elevate this usually burdensome experience to one of pure pleasure. Imagine shopping where the tagline is "where diet means delicious!"

Upon arrival you'll enter a space with the slick interior of a snazzy health food megastore yet on a smaller more customized scale. There is a concierge desk where someone either well informed or with a background in nutrition will help you with your special diet shopping spree. There you will be shown a code for whatever diet needs you have. For example, gluten-free is #5 and dairy-free is the letter D. Then all you do is look for products with those codes! As if that isn't enough to get you excited, there is a nutritional analysis matrix label system so you can really know what you're eating. You can even bring in favorite family recipes, have them give you a nutritional analysis, convert the recipe to suit your diet needs and then receive it back with the new and improved nutritional analysis! Most people may think this is above and beyond what they need, but for certain diet situations that either complicate gluten issues or for other health needs, in particular let's say diabetes, this service makes dieting a lot easier.

With close to 1800 gluten-free items to choose from you will be overwhelmed with celiac-friendly choices. They boast the largest selection of gluten-free pasta you've ever seen. There are products there that I have never even heard of or that are so new I have not been able to try them yet. Hard to get products such as Queen Elizabeth Cake from Canadian Glutino, Fabe's Vegan Apple Crumb Cake, and even  a brand of gluten-free muffin tops tempted me from the shelves! A really big bakery case filled mostly with fresh gluten-free baked goods shines in the front of the store.

Of course a gig this together has many other offerings to make you smile such as catering services, cooking demonstrations and samplings, along with foods made to order.  You can rest assured and eat in peace knowing that Michelle Richter-Dudash a registered dietician and Cordon Bleu chef made your food! They even can flash freeze meals for shipping that will last for 90 days with no nutritional compromise! Aspire Market is such an exciting concept and reality that I have to write a separate piece just about their baked goods! Let's hope they go national and in the meantime you can order via phone and as soon as this fall you can order online.

Below are some of Debbie's gluten-free specialty food recommendations:

• Bionaturae pasta

• Sassy Sauce

• Cherith Valley Sauces -"Wonderful! Especially the Tamarind Bourbon BBQ."

• Yarra Valley Cheese- a trinagular shaped pear hazelnut cheese spread

• Vino de Milo - spaghetti sauces that won the 2004 NNFA Fancy Food Award

• The Art Of Spice- rubs that with blow your mind

• Cuisine Perel- vinegars that celebrate the marriage of food and wine

• GF Pantry Crisp and Crumble

• Dietary Specialties brand- ravioli's, ravioletti, dinosaur chicken nuggets (these are now cheaper to buy from Aspire Market than directly from Dietary Specialties!)

written by Kelly

Arizona: Enter The Dragon

Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket
2025 N. Dobson Road
Chandler, AZ
(480) 899-2887

Lee Lee is the dragon of all asian food stores in Arizona. You may expect to find more midwestern snowbirds here than Asian Americans but Lee Lee is proof that Arizona is fast becoming home to this growing population. This is good news for celiacs in the area since there are many naturally gluten-free products at very reasonable prices!

You could come here just to be entertained by all the different food sections and trying to figure out what some of the items are.

The Great Wall of Rice	Unknown fruits and vegetables await your arrival	These boys want you to take them home	Crouching Soy, Hidden Rice Papers
Think of all the things you can do with a cassava pancake!	Big Booty in Little China! There were several yummy rice cookies to choose from, dried fruits, a whole aisle devoted to every kind of rice noodle, and interesting coconut products.		Don't forget your Peanut, Taro Root, and Green Bean Ice Pops! heh heh

Arizona: A Trilogy In Four Parts

A recent trip to the otherworldly landscaped Grand Canyon state led to the discovery of many gf treats! For those with a short attention span (usually beings with a strong penchant for science fiction and the only ones that will get the dual meaning of the above title) I'll be breaking up my discoveries into four days worth of readings.

PART ONE
Today I will introduce Smurf. Yes, Smurfette, is her alias. She is the best friend a girl could have and with her interesting background of German/Syrian blood quite a cook too!

Having been my roommate once upon a time, Smurf is always on the lookout for foods that are "Kelly-friendly".  She was excited to cook for me one of her favorite recipes she'd discovered in "The Rice & Noodle Cookbook".  This cookbook had many recipes in it that used either rice or rice noodles and could easily be adapted with gf soy sauces or Bragg's Liquid Aminos. There are only a few copies left on Amazon.  If they sell out then I may post the recipe guilt free!

Before

After

I know you are wondering, "What is that extremely refreshing looking libation in the picture?" Well, we created a drink during our own special happy hour:

Banana In A Cave*
1/3 Coconut Rum
1/3 Dole Banana, Pineapple, Orange Juice
1/3 seltzer water

*the name comes from a silly heat stroke inspired joke while hiking the Superstition Mtns. earlier that day. 

Smurf's Secret Syrian Style Salad Dressing:

2-3 cloves of minced garlic
juice of one lemon (no seeds)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Mix all ingredients together and toss on a salad just before serving.

Trust me...all of these would satisfy even a two-headed alien's appetite!

*stay tuned for the next segment in Arizona: A Trilogy In Four Parts!!!

What's Made Milwaukee Famous?

Miller Beer?     "What's made Milwaukee Famous Has Made A Loser Out of Me" need not be your theme song anymore, Milwaukee.  Especially since drinking Miller beer will only turn oneself into a villi-killing loser!  No, what has really made Milwaukee famous in the gluten-free world is The Gluten Free Trading Company!  If you have not yet experienced this "World Without Gluten", now is the time!  I had come across the website before and figured it was just another one of your basic online gluten-free products stores.  Well, it's not!  I found it to be a great resource that made it easy for me to indulge.  They have over 800 items from 17 countries! Whoa!  Hold yourself back from rejoicing with a beer!  (unless its gluten-free beer and we'll write about that later) You can shop at their store in person if you can get to, or live, in Milwaukee.  The rest of us can use their online order form. 

I found so many little gems in their online catalog.  I'm officially addicted to the Kelly-friendly (which means not only gluten-free but corn-free) black licorice bars by Allen's Gourmet Licorice from Canada.  I had dreamed of someday finding these! And they're super good!  Very strong stuff (for the true black licorice lover) and the rice flour makes the texture not so licorice-like, but I don't care!  The "Big Break Bar", imported from Germany, is just as good if not better than a Kit Kat bar with its creamy European chocolate!  Almost too scary having easy access to these babies ... extra self control is needed! 

They had lots of other imported items ... a few I wanted were out of stock at the time.  And I noticed several items that I can get locally, however, I do get tired of having to visit several different stores to get everything I want.  It's nice to do one stop shopping!  The Gluten Free Trading Company sends a perfectly packed box that arrives fresh and provides very friendly customer service. (Kim placed a huge order, some items were temporarily unavailable, and she was called back with plenty of helpful suggestions)  Anyhow, just wanted to let you know so you could check it out for yourself!

GF BBQ sauce, Nutty Rice cereal, Bragg's liquid aminos (great soy sauce substitute), rice "krispy" treat, Bumble Bars, dairy and gluten-free chocolate chips, and the Big Break Bar.

A Shout Out to NW Arkansas

My parents were transferred from Toronto, Canada to Fayetteville, Arkansas in April of this year. Long story short: Wal-Mart. My dad works for the Wal-Mart empire, and now works on its mother ship. So, now I get to visit Arkansas. In their new neighborhood, my parents discovered a legendary grist mill called War Eagle. My mom picked up some rice flour for me, and the quality was superb, so I had to check it out for myself.

The weekend I was there, the War Eagle was hosting a gigantic craft fair and I could just go on and on about how gigantic and great it was, but instead I'll just tell you about the flour. The mill is functioning like it did back in 1848, even though the current structure is the fourth (a flood, two fires, and the Civil War took down three others). A turbine waterwheel powers the flour grinder. Unfortunately, they no longer carry rice flour; it seems there is not enough demand. So, to any Celiacs or gluten intolerant in the NW Arkansas area, or anyone else who might want to take advantage of their mail order services, call and ask the War Eagle to bring back the rice flour...it was that good. They do carry Buckwheat and Soy Flour, as well as Flax. Check out their website to bombard them with emails or to order other glutenous specialties as gifts for non-celiac friends or relatives.

I also have to say, coming from the crustiness of New York City, the Arkansan people sure made a fuzzy warm impression...I found myself smiling for no reason and waving at strangers. Of course, a nightmare cab ride from Laguardia quickly melted all of that away.

Sylvanus and Catherin Blackburn
Founders of War Eagle, 1833

The Wall of Flour